Hair curler



Feb. 3, 1959 M. PAPANDREA 2,871,866

HAIR CURLER Filed March 14, 1957 INVENTOR. Mvzanzsr .ZvAM APEA United States Patent M HAIR CURLER Margaret Papandrea, Westfield, N. J. Application March 14, 1957, Serial No. 646,135

4 Claims. (Cl. 13233) This invention relates to an improved hair curler for holding and setting small individual curls of hair, such as pin curls.

An object of theinvention is to provide a hair curler which can easily be applied to the hair of the lady using the curler, that is, easily applied by herself to her own hair.

Another object is to provide such a curler which is relatively compact and unobtrusive so that a number of curlers can be worn by a woman without greatly detracting from her appearance and without discomfort, either during the daytime, or when sleeping.

A further object is to provide a hair curler which, though highly efiicient in its intended function, is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objects will in part be understood from and in part pointed out in the description given hereinafter.

A hair curler for a ladys hair, particularly when she wishes to wear a number of them for several hours or more, should be as small and as unobtrusive as possible consistent with the ability of the curler to etficiently hold the hair properly curled and with the requirement that the curler be quick and easy to apply or to remove. Many previous hair curlers, to achieve good hair curling action, were made very thick, or heavy or in complicated shapes. Thus, after setting the hair in perhaps ten or fifteen curlers, the head appeared to be much bulkier than before and required the wearing of a heavily padded turban or such in order to sleep comfortably. In addition to the discomfort of wearing such a thick head covering, the user could not fashionably appear in public. The present invention provides an improved hair curler which greatly lessens these diificulties even though the curler is very simple to manufacture and easy and eflicient to use.

In accordance with the present invention, in one of its aspects, a flat sheet of suitable material, such as a fairly stiff but flexible thin piece of plastic, is cut according to a unique pattern so that it becomes a hair curler on which a hank or strands of hair can be coiled in a pancake spiral and then held securely until the hair develops its desired set. A number of these hair curlers can be applied to the hair without a bulky appearance, and by virtue of the fact that each curler is effectively round and flat, somewhat like a fifty-cent piece, no hot uncomfortable padding need be worn over them. There is no danger of cutting the scalp or fingers from sharp or pointed edges. Since this hair curler can be made entirely in one operation in much the same way as a cookie is stamped out, the cost of manufacture is extremely l-ow.

A better understanding of the invention together with a fuller appreciation of its many advantages will best be gained from a study of the following description given in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one hair curler embodying features of the invention;

2,87 1,866 Patented Feb. 3, 19 59 Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the curler closed;

Figure 4 is a plan view of another curler embodyingfeatures of the invention; and

Figure 5 is a side view of the curler in Figure 4.

With reference to Figure 1, a sheet of thin material is cut as shown to form a flat hair curler 10 having a disclike body 11 with three large integral and radial arms 12, 14 and 16. Three narrower radial flaps or fingers 18, 20 and 22 whose inner ends are integral with body 11 are cut from the centers of the large arms and can be raised up from the plane of the curler to provide a hair winding form. When raised they leave corresponding openings 24, 26'and 28 at the bases of the large radial arms. Cut in body 11 opposite arm 12 is a small notch 30 into which the base of hank of hair can be inserted. Each of the arms 14 and 16 near its outer end has a hole 32 which, when the arm is folded over body 11, slips over and fastens on-one of the nibs 34 to hold the arm folded.

Figure 2 shows the manner in which a hank of hair is wound on curler 10. The three flaps 18, 20 and 22 are raised up relative to curler body 11 and the hair, engaged through notch 30 is curled around them in a pancake spiral. Then these fingers are bent radially outward again through the respective openings 24, 26 and 28 thus encircling the hair at three points. Thereafter, as shown in Figure 3, the arms 12, 14 and 16 are folded over, arm 12 being folded first, and locked in place by the engagement of holes 32 over nibs 34.

Figure 4 shows another embodiment of the invention. This curler 40 comprises a disc body 41, and two radial arms 42 and 44 which are at right angles to each other and body 41. Each has a large cutout portion or opening 46 in it and opposite each on the rim of body 41 is a nib 48 over which the arms can fit when folded. Punched up from the center part of body 41 are the three bent ears 50, seen also in Figure 5, which constitute a bobbin on which the hair can be wound. A notch 52 displaced 30 from one of the nibs 48 allows the body of the curler to slide against a hank of hair near its roots and to lie flat. Three holes 54 in body 41 provide, in addition to the openings left by ears 50 and openings 46, air ventilation through the curler.

The hair curlers described herein can be substantially exactly as shown in the drawings with a diameter for their disc bodies of approximately 1%" and other dimensions to scale. The material for curler 40 should be relatively stiff.

The above description of the invention is intended in illustration and not in limitation thereof. Various changes may occur to those skilled in the art and these may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as set forth.

I claim:

1. A one piece hair curler comprising a fiat disc-like body having at least two angularly spaced integral narrow fiat arms extending outwardly from its rim and which are adapted to fold upon each other back over said body, a hair receiving notch cut inward from the rim of said body toward its center, and at least two tabs or fingers cut from radially extending slots in said body, said tabs in conjunction with said body serving as a support on which a hank of hair can be wound in a flat pancake spiral.

2. The combination of elements as in claim 1 wherein there are three flat arms, and said tabs are relatively long and are cut from long slots in said body extending from near its center well into said arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Cahill Apr. 9, 1929 Stallins Mar. 8, 1949 Weaver 'et a1. Oct. 6, 1953 

